Legends of Passion

Legenden der Leidenschaften

Charaktereigenschaften

Tristan:
- adventurous · vindictive
- feels responsible for his brother
- makes reproaches because of his brother’s death · nature-loving
- loves his freedom
- hates to feel cramped
- is fascinated by the traditions of the Indians · attracts women
- it seems, there is a "bear" inside him
- doesn’t care about law and order - makes his own "law" · unfaithful
- respect for his father Alfred:
- ambitious
- jealous of Tristan · greedy for power
- stops at nothing to increase his power and influence · typical "businessman"
- blames Tristan for Samuel’s death
- at the end, he shows courage and readiness to help · respect for his father

Susanna:
- misfortune with her lovers
- Colonel William Ludlow: strong-willed · self-confident
- tolerant towards the Indians · against war
- against government & US congress
- educated
- cultured
- wants only the best for his sons, but demands much from them · devout
- after he reads the letter, in which Tristan wants Susanna to find an other husband he gets invalid, because of a stroke, but he loves and supports his children as ever

Der Film

Colonel (ret.) William Ludlow and his three sons Alfred, Tristan and

Samuel live in a country-house in Montana. His wife Isabel left the family a few years ago, because of the cold, never-ending winters, which she found unbearable. Colonel Ludlow, Alfred and Samuel really miss her, and the Colonel often writes letters, but Tristan doesn’t even want to think of her, because he is convinced, that she left them in the lurch. Instead of wishing his mother back, he spends the time with "Stich", an Indian, who works at Mr. Ludlow’s ranch. Stich teaches him the old traditions of his tribe, e. g. how to hunt, how to fight, how to domesticate a wild horse and what’s the most honourable way of dying. Isabel II is a young girl, a half- breed, from two of the ranch-workers. When she was a child, she swore to marry Tristan one day. One day, the Colonel receives a letter from his wife, in which she tells him about the visit of Susanna, a beautiful lady, who is engaged with Samuel. When she arrives, everybody seems to like her, perhaps Alfred felt more than this for her. Susanna, an elegant and very friendly person, is fascinated by Samuel’s brother Tristan. During the next months Susanna gets to know the Ludlow-family better and everyone seems to be happy, until Samuel expresses his wish to join the army, and to fight against the Germans in France. First his father refuses to give the permission to his son, but after lots of discussions, he realises that there is no way of keeping him away to live his own live and making his own decisions, although he knows from experience, that there is nothing honourable and good at the war. Samuel wants to become an officer, Alfred follows him, and Tristan goes with them to take care of his brothers. Just before they set out for their journey to Europe, Susanna asks Tristan, to persuade Samuel to stay at home, but without success. Alfred watches them, and when he sees them embracing, he thinks, Tristan and Susanna are in love with each other. The three brothers leave home and go to war, full of excitement and energy, but this doesn’t last long, because when they experience the "real" war, all dreams are gone. Alfred gets hurt during a German attack and Samuel regrets not to have stayed at home. One day Samuel reports as a volunteer for a reconnaissance-troop. It is the first time he is in great danger and can’t get help from Tristan. A gas-attack let him go blind and so he is unable to run away from the German soldiers. At the same time, Tristan gets to know about Samuel’s application and starts a search for his brother. He finds him, but it’s too late - a few seconds before he arrives, some German soldiers shoot Samuel. Tristan curses god, kills the German soldiers and cuts Samuel’s heart out of his chest - "to free his soul" - how Stich had told him. In 1915 Alfred returns home with Samuel’s heart, while Tristan stays at a relative in Europe. Later he comes home too, full of self-reproaches because of Samuel’s death, which he couldn’t prevent. Susanna stayed in Montana, although her fiancé is dead. After a "romantic" night with Tristan, Alfred asks him, whether he is happy about his brother’s death, which gave him the opportunity to get Susanna, and tells him to merry her. The relationship between Tristan and Alfred gets worse and Alfred decides to leave his home and start a new life in a new, up-and-coming city. After a short time, most of his friends are rich, influential men and his business thrives. After a few years, the "bear" inside Tristan awakes and an invisible power forces him to go abroad - without Susanna. For the second time she was at the point to lose her man, and no advice not to do so, could change his mind. She promises to wait for him, even when it would take many years. Year after year passes by without any massage from Tristan, who is exploring unknown countries and hunting animals. One day, long time after Tristan went away, Susanna receives a letter of Tristan, in which he suggests her marrying someone else. It’s hard for her to manage her grieve and her disappointment. The same day Susanna gets the letter, Alfred meets his father, to ask for the permission to run for the Congress-elections. Colonel Ludlow, who blames the US government for the extermination of the Indians, doesn’t permit it, but Alfred doesn’t care about this - he tries to become Congressman. When he leaves the house, he sees Susanna, who is holding the letter of Tristan in her hands and cries. Alfred reads through it, and realises, that this was his chance of getting he r. Now there was definitely nothing than hate between the two brothers. When Colonel Ludlow is told about Tristan’s letter, he is shocked by it, and expels Susanna and Alfred, who blames Tristan for everything that went wrong in the family. That night, Colonel Ludlow sustains a stroke and turns into an old, invalid man, who can’t speak. Again, the years pass by. Alfred marries Susanna and makes lot of money with his business. Meanwhile, the ranch of Mr. Ludlow goes to ruin, but Stich, Isabel II and the rest of the workers stay there. After many years of absence, Tristan returns home, into a world, which became unfamiliar to him - a run-down house, Susanna and her husband Alfred, who lived in a city and his handicapped father. Nevertheless, his father, Stich and especially Isabel II are very happy about Tristan’s return. A few days later he visits Susanna, who seems to be surprised about the turning up of her ex-lover. Tristan prefers, not to visit Alfred - they have nothing to say one another. With Whiskey-smuggle Tristan wants to earn money, for the house and for his father. He falls in love with Isabel II, who grew up and became a beautiful young lady. They engage, marry and get two children, one of them is named Samuel. One day the Obenion-brothers, whose smuggle-business is reduced because of Tristan’s smuggle, get in his way. They say, they will kill him, if he will carry on alcohol-smuggling. Tristan isn’t impressed by their threats and continues selling Whiskey illicit. After a party, when Tristan and his wife are on their way back home, the Obanion-brothers obstruct the street and force him to get out of the car. As a warning, one of them shoots some bullets into the air, but unfortunately ricochets hit Isabel II and she dies. Full of rage Tristan beats the gunman up and vows vengeance. After a 30-day-stay in prison, he kills the leader of the Obenion-clan. Meanwhile Susanna’s problems depress her so much, that she sees just one way of getting rid of them: suicide. A short time later, the brothers of the killed Obenion, arrive at the Ludlow-ranch to repay Tristan the murder. But before they can kill him, Colonel Ludlow drags out of the house, goes toward the Obanions - and shoots one of them. An other one takes aim at the Colonel, but he has no time to shoot, because at the same time Alfred, who hid behind the house, blows the his head away. Now the infinite hatred between Alfred and Tristan was gone. Colonel Ludlow forgave Alfred, and Alfred revoked the accusation of Tristan. Alfred cared about Tristan’s children, because he knew, that the police would accuse him of murder, while Tristan lived in the wildness, leading his own, independent life. He died in 1963, after a long, full life, killed by a bear - an honourable death.